Suspension for vehicles



Feb. 24, 1931. M. HOUDAILLE 1,

' SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed May 17. 1928 4 Sheets- Sheet 1 Feb. 24,1931. M. HOUDAILLE SUSPENSION FOR VEHIQLES Filed May 17, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 24, 1931. M. HOUDAILLE 1,794,294

SUSPENSION- FOR VEHICLES I Filed lay '17, 1928 4 snegs-sneet 3 1931; M.HOUDAILLE (I 1,794,294

SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed May 17, 1928 4 Shets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb.24, 1931 UNITED, STATES; PEA-TENT OFFWE I MAURICE nonnnrnL-n, on LEVALLOZES-PERRET, FRANCE. Y

s ENsIaI E n mam Applicatiem filed 17,, 1923,,Seria1: No 2 ,73,591, andin France: May. 17,1927.

The applicant has previously. proposed a method for regulating theflexibility of a leaf spring, particularly in function ofthe curvatureto which this spring is subjected. This method consists substantially inexerting on a movable or. distortable portion of the spring a stress ora resistance which varies. with the. curvature of the spring. Severaldevices for carrying out this method have also been proposed by theapplicant, and the present invention concerns a new device of thisnature, which can be more easily constructed and 'operates in a bettermanner than the preceding ones and which is applicable to. all kinds ofsprings: leaf or coil springs. r

This device is characterizedxby a two-arm lever pivoted on one of thetwo members between which the spring is interposed; by a link connectingone of these arms to th'e other of the said members, and by a secondlink connectingthe other arm to adi'stortable portion ofthe spring,or toa lever acting on the spring, this; whole structurebeing so arrangedthat, when the spring becomes distorted, the link connectedthereto,exerts on the same alstress or a resistance which varies with thecurvature offthe spring.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example only, variousforms'of construction of tlie'invention; I l p p Fi s, 1' to "3' areelevations and sections relatIng-to'the suspension of a, motor vehicleon the liveaxle, with athrust exerted by the live axle tube. r

' Fig, 4 is a similar view relating to a modification. V

51s a view of another modification, utilizing a cantilever spring. 7 1

'Fighi 6isf a modification ofFig. 5.

shows ,asuspension by transx erse springs-in accordance with. theinvention. Fig; '8' is" a modification of the example illustrated inFig. 7.

In the example illustrated in Fig, 1, the

suspensioncomprises, instead of a single en- 1 tire, spring, two springsindicated at 1 a1id2. The front spring 1 ispivoted a123, by a doubletudinal bearers of which is shown at 4. The

' axle tush'ackle 3, on the chassis, one of the l ongi rear spring 2 ispivoted at 5, by a double shackle 6, which connects it to the longi:tudinal bearer 4. These double shackles may, of course, be replaced byany other devices playing the same part;

On the other'hand, each of the springs 1 and 2- is supported, in theusualmanner, by flanges T and*8*, by means of which these two springsare pivoted, at 9 and 10, one a: support 11 integral with the liveaxle,1 2;. i

In the case of the front axle the support 11, would'besecured on theaxle, and the front double shackle would berep-laced by a supportsecured on the chassisif The same may moreover be true, for the rearsuspens on, ac-

Cordin -as the thrust is effected by the live e, as illustrated Fig. 1,'or according as the thrust is obtained' by the springsor by links;

3 At their-inner ends, at 13 and 145, the springs 1 and 2 are connected,by doubl-e shackles l'a and 16, or by any other system playingthe, samepart, to the branch '19 of a double' leverpivoted at 20 on the support1'1;"th'e other arm 21' is'connected'to the longitudinal bearer 4; by alink 22, pivoted in any suitable manner, and for instance by a balljoint, at 22, on the arm 21, and at 24: on the longitudinal. bearer 4g.

The angle of: both arms 19 and 21 of'the V lever-will be so chosen thatthe pivotal movement of this lever can give to the springs the requiredvariable flexibilities for the lowering and rebounding ofxthe chassis.

I117 fact, it will be understood that any relet isp a me th-ef l ve xle12 and 0f the. chassis t, displacement whichhasfor eftectto eausethelevers 2 1;1 9 to; pivot, will Cause the i nereee s 1 1 and i r thespring 1 and 2 to occupy; successive positions, imno ng; t he. c ii s 1and 2. difle te itl fl x- U95 for ne 1 an. a li el lt fjthel h, ssiswas"t e axle, accor in tothe position. atthi incinentiofthe axle e ativellv"o thej l as ifs- 1 he ame e ativ disp a e lath ample cf ig}. the an lbew en he .9 nd 21 has be n so chos n tha en t axle o he live a e 41 ve tward c ass s he r ica ;disp acement f t e inner portion of the springfor one and the Fig.

,ibility.

same relative displacement of the axle and of the chassis, considerablydiminishes for altering in direction from the moment the link comes inalignment with the branch 19 of the lever, as shown in dotted lines.This difference of vertical displacement for one and the same angulardisplacement of the lever 19-21, suitably computed, automaticallyproduces the progressivity in the flexibility of the system. Thisflexibility is greater than the normal flexibility of the spring, in

the zone comprised between the position shown in full lines and thatshown in dotted lines. For this latter position, the flexibility of thesystem is equal to that of the'spring. Beyond this position, theflexibility diminishes. In this example, the flexibility diminishestherefore at the same time as the distance between the axle and thechassis.

The reverse may also be realized, in this sense that the apparentflexibility of the spring is smaller than its initial flexibility, asshown in Fig. 2. In this case, use is made of a spring with a muchgreater initial flexibility; this, moreover, does not offer as manyadvantages as the device of Fig. 1. Finally, a single lever 19 21 can beused, as shown in 3, this lever being connected by the link 17 tothedouble shackles 15 and 16.

It is very important to note that the position of each of the pivotingpoints of the system will be conveniently adjustable, this allowing tomodify at will-the law of variation of the flexibility. In particular,the position-of the pivoting axisof the links 22 on the arms 21 of thelevers'will be rendered Fig. 1. EX-

easily adjustable, as shownin perience has shown that a very slightmodification of the location of this joint produced very notablemodifications of the law of flex- Instead of adjusting the position ofthe pivoting axis, the angle of the'two levers 19 and 21 may be renderedadjustable as well as the length of the links 22, this allowing toobtain a range ofv flexibilities suited to. the whole of the system. f

It is obvious that, instead of acting on the inner end of the springs,these ends could be directly pivoted on the support 11, the regulatingdevice then acting of the pivoting flanges 7 and 8 of thesprings. Such aconstruction isillustrated for instance in Fig.

1. It obviously necessitates the use of two connecting rods or links, ifit is not desired to haveunequal ar'ms'2l.

The arrangement in accordance with the invention may also be employed incase a single spring is used, as shown at 25in Fig. .5. In this case,the spring is pivoted at 26011 the longitudinal bearer l; at one of .itsends,tlie said spring is pivoted,- at 27, on'a lever 28 rigid withthelive axle '12 (or with the axle). Alink connects a second lever:30,also rigid with the live axle .12, .to a bell modification of Fig. 6differentiates from the example of Fig. 5 in the same way as themodification of Fig. 4 differentiates from the form of construction ofFig. 3.

The arrangement in accordance with the invention also applies totransverse springs, according to the two main modifications which havejust been set forth for each realization, and as illustrated in Figs. 7and 8. In Fig. 7, as in Figs. 3 and 5, the member for regulating theflexibility acts on the inner ends of the springs, whilst, in theexample 01 Fig. 8, as in the case of-Figse and 6, the regulation memberacts on the middle portion of the springs.

It is finally to be mentioned that the device forming the subject-matterof the invention is applicable to all kinds of suspensions by anysprings, leaf or like springs, and is capable of receiving a largenumber of modifies;

tion which all remain included within the scope of the invention. Thus,a leaf spring can, for the application of the invention, be replaced by,a coil spring combined with a lever acting on the said coilfspring.What I claim as my invention anddesire secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a suspensionmeans between two members'movable relatively to eachother, companion'springsinterposed betweensaid members, meansconnectingthe medial portions, of the springs to one of said members,means connecting certain of the ends of the springs to the other member,two levers pivoted to the first mentioned member and connected with thesecond mentioned member, and means connecting said levers with'other ofthe ends of the'said springsi y 2. In a suspension means between twomembers movable relatively to each other compris- -1ng a spring arrangedbetween the members one of said. members, a-link connection :be-

tween one of the lever arms and the other of said members, and meansforyaryinglthe point of connection between the link and said lever arm.T y

3. In a suspension means between two members movable relatively to eachother com prising a spring arranged between said mem-. bers andconnected to the two said members, the combination of a two-armed leverpivoted 'to one of said members, and having one arm 7 disposedsubstantially perpendicular to the direction of movementbetween saidmembers, a link kinematically connecting said arm to the other of saidmembers, and means for varying the point of connection between the linkand said lever arm. 7 1 V In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification.

MAURICE HOUDAILLE.

